About the project
The project Between runes and manuscripts. Roman-alphabet inscriptions in Viking Age and Medieval Norway focused on a category of written documents that has received remarkably little attention: inscriptions from Norway written in Roman-alphabet script. Norwegian manuscripts and runic inscriptions are already thoroughly described and analysed.
The primary objective for this project was to provide a comprehensive study of Roman-alphabet inscriptions from Viking Age and Medieval Norway. Roman-alphabet inscriptions are not sufficiently documented or studied as a whole. It is not possible to understand Viking Age and Medieval literacy unless the implications of the triangular relationship between manuscripts, runes and Roman-alphabet epigraphy are sorted out. This relationship cannot be sorted out without a full study also of the Roman-alphabet inscriptions.
Roman-alphabet inscriptions are found on a wide range of objects. The oldest examples from Norway are coins. Later we get inscribed grave stones, church bells, church decorations and liturgical objects such as chalices. Outside of churches there are inscriptions on lead sheets, drinking horns, seals and jewellery – to mention some examples. In addition there are several inscriptions that must be characterized as graffiti. Interestingly, most of these types of objects are also found among the runic material.
The project was set up in two stages. Both stages contributed to meet the primary objective. The first stage was to construct a database for Norwegian Roman-alphabet inscriptions. The database was be the foundation for further analysis within the project’s second stage, where Roman-alphabet epigraphy was analysed in order to meet the project’s secondary objectives:
- To demonstrate how the foreign Roman script introduced in the Viking Age was transformed into a vernacular script;
- to bring forth new knowledge about the uses and functions of writing outside manuscripts; and
- to determine whether Roman-alphabet inscriptions are best understood in relation to runic inscriptions because both are epigraphic, or to the learned and imported manuscript culture because they are written with Roman letters, or if they are best understood as a writing culture of their own.
Project period
The project period was from August 2017 to February 2021.
Financing
The Research Council of Norway
Cooperation
Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, The University of Nottingham
Events
Events organized by the project and events where the project presents research results.
Leeds International Medieval Congress
Leeds International Medieval Congress (1–4 July 2019)
The project presented research results at the session "Inscribed In: Epigraphy and Materiality in Medieval Scandinavia", organized by Johan Bollaert and Karen Langsholt Holmqvist (Social Sciences Building, Room 10.07, at 16:30–18:00 pm). Moderator: Stefka G. Eriksen.
Round-table in Oslo
Round-table in Oslo (29–30 April 2019)
Elise Kleivane presented her research in the paper "Multilingualism in Medieval Scandinavia" at the round-table Multilingual practices organized by Aneta Pavlenkova and Pia Lane.
Second RUL-seminar
Second RUL-seminar (17–18 January 2019)
Johan Bollaert, Karen Langsholt Holmqvist and Elise Kleivane presented research results for the Research Network for Urban Literacy in Aarhus.
Workshop in Notthingham
Workshop in Nottingham (16 March 2019)
The project's first workshop at the University of Nottingham: "Writing and the Vikings".
First RUL-seminar
The first RUL-seminar(17 August 2018)
Elise Kleivane presented the project and some research results for the Research Network for Urban Literacy in Copehagen.
Runråd in Uppsala
Runråd in Uppsala (21 February 2019)
Johan Bollaert presents his PhD-research.
Full day Runråd in Uppsala
Full day Runråd in Uppsala (27 April 2018)
Project invited to present our work on the database and our research goals.